KESEHATAN
Your metabolic rate determines how many calories your body burns every day, and speeding up your metabolism will be the key to losing weight the healthy way. After all, if you burn more calories every day, weight loss is guaranteed! If you want to boost your metabolism, you’ll find that there are many wonderful foods that do just that. These foods are healthy, natural, and delicious, and you’ll find that they’ll do wonders for your health.
They’ll get your body working at top speeds, ensuring that you burn more calories every day.
Top 10 Best Foods to Boost Your Metabolism
1. Low-fat dairy Products
The lower-fat types of cheese and milk usually contain more protein than the fattier alternatives. Low-fat cheese can contain 6-7 grams of protein per ounce, while skim milk packs 9-10 per cup. For a low-calorie meat-free sub, start with a spicy low-fat cheese like pepper jack, then pile high with tomatoes, lettuce and peppers. Dress with low-fat olive oil and vinegar. Mix skim milk with low-fat yogurt, fresh fruit and ice for a low-calorie smoothie that’s delicious, refreshing and packed with protein.
2. Green Tea
When talking of metabolism boosters, green tea is one of the best superfoods. Loaded with antioxidants and polyphenols, green tea aids in improving your body’s metabolic activity.
The antioxidants in the form of caffeine and catechins in it help increase energy expenditure and counteract the decrease in metabolic rate that is present during weight loss.
The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends drinking 2 to 3 cups of green tea daily to improve the metabolic activity of your body.
3. Lemons
Lemons are an excellent food source for giving your metabolism an overdrive. Lemons help in detoxifying your liver and cleansing the digestive system. The enzymes and vitamin C in lemons help in clearing toxins from the body by turning them into compounds that are eliminated from the body in the form of waste. This ultimately helps in improving your metabolic function.
Squeeze the juice of ½ lemon in a glass of warm water and drink it daily in the morning on an empty stomach to give a boost to your metabolism. You can also include lemons in your regular diet to flavor your food and also derive its health benefits.
4. Almonds
Eating almonds can result in an increase in your body’s energy expenditure. Although almonds are high in calories, they are packed with essential omega-3 fatty acids that are great metabolism boosters. These fatty acids reduce the production of a hormone known as leptin, a natural chemical that lowers your metabolism.
As almonds are rich in protein value, they aid in burning more calories after their consumption. However, do not eat almonds in excess. Just a handful of soaked or dry-roasted almonds daily is enough.
5. Fish and shellfish
With 28 grams of protein per 6 ounces, seafood is a great catch. Cold water fish varieties like salmon, tuna, trout and mackerel are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and have been shown to boost your metabolism by as much as 400 calories a day. Try for 3-5 servings per week, and prepare your seafood in a healthy manner, like grilling or broiling rather than frying. Tuna salad made with low-fat mayo is a healthier choice for sandwiches than fatty luncheon meats.
6. Cucumbers
You might not look at cucumbers the same way the next time you see them in a your salad. There are plenty of reasons why they play nicely into your metabolism-boosting strategy. They’re packed with water, so they help to hydrate your body, plus they have plenty of vitamins, nutrients, and fiber, all with very low caloric levels. You can try adding them to more than just salads. Cucumber slices or sticks can make a nice side dish to a sandwich or wrap, and can be combined with other vegetables in a healthy mix.
7. Spinach
Spinach puts up some respectable numbers in the B Vitamin department, which leads to a more productive metabolism. And aside from the direct relation, it’s also good for muscle function. If you’re strength training, spinach will help your muscles recover, and this will lead to a faster metabolism because you’ll end up with better muscle mass which directly leads to burning up more calories, even when you’re asleep.
8. Broccoli
Broccoli is one of those miraculous vegetables that help improve metabolic activity in your body. It is rich in calcium and vitamin C, both of the essential components for an improved metabolism. Calcium acts as a trigger for boosting metabolism, while vitamin C aids better absorption of calcium.
Further, broccoli is packed with phytochemicals that accelerate the breakdown of fat in the cells thus ridding the body of excess deposits. Rich in folate, dietary fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium and vitamins C, K, B6 and B12, broccoli helps burn fat without adding extra calories. Adding 1 to 1½ cups of raw or cooked broccoli to your diet daily is effective for improving metabolism and promoting weight loss.
9. Ginger
The best way to start getting more ginger is to use it when cooking other foods. It’s not like you can sit around eating a bunch of ginger root. But it does add a good amount of flavor, and has been shown to have metabolism-increasing properties. Dr. Oz recommends tossing into your next stir fry, and if you use skinless boneless chicken breast, spices, and veggies like celery and carrots you’ll soon have a calorie burning meal that will hold you over for hours.
10. Oatmeal
Oatmeal is a good start to the day for most people. Compared to other breakfast options it has plenty more fiber, and as your body works to break it down and pass it through it revs itself up and burns off more calories. It’s also been shown to lower your cholesterol, so there’s plenty of reason to eat it. Just be sure you don’t have a gluten allergy or gluten sensitivity, or you won’t be able to get the same sort of benefits that others get from consuming it.
